Nearly 300,000 drones registered with FAA in 30 days

The Federal Aviation Administration’s registration rule went into effect on Dec. 21, 2015, requiring owners of small unmanned aircraft that weigh between 0.55 and 55 pounds to register before flying outdoors.

The FAA said the rules are meant to educate drone operators who don’t necessarily realize it may be unsafe to fly in certain ways or near certain locations, such as an airport, while allowing enforcement and easier identification of operators behind reckless drone flights.

“The registration numbers we’re seeing so far are very encouraging,” said FAA Administrator Michael Huerta in a statement. “We’re working hard to build on this early momentum and ensure everyone understands the registration requirement.”

Earlier this year, a drone crashed near the White House, and another crashed into the seating area at the U.S. Open. The FAA did not provide information on how many drones have been recovered from other crashes.

To register, drone owners will have to provide their name, physical address, email address and credit card information to process the payment. After registering, operators will receive a certificate of registration with a unique identification number, which the owner must then mark on all their aircraft. Registration isn’t required at point-of-sale, but would be mandatory before drone operation.